Automated teller machines are known in the prior art. Banking customers may access their accounts using a magnetically encoded card. Generally the customer will insert their card into the machine, which will correlate the identifying information encoded on the card with a personal identification number provided by the customer. This verifies the customer's identity to the computer system which operates the machine. Thereafter the customer may typically use the ATM to conduct banking transactions as well as to check the status of various accounts that they have with the financial institution. When all of the transactions and inquiries are completed, the customer will receive his card back from the machine along with one or more receipts documenting the transactions performed.
As more people conduct their banking transactions electronically using ATMs, there is a desire to provide the customer with more information. Customers often want information about their accounts, including what checks have cleared and/or what other deductions and/or charges may have been applied. Customers may also wish to obtain information about other services provided by the bank such as investments, retirement accounts or the terms available for various types of loans.
It is usually not possible to print much information on a receipt that is provided by an ATM. This is because such receipts are typically fairly small in size. To provide all the information that customers want in a legible format, larger sheets are needed. In addition, information about some accounts, such as checking accounts, may be so extensive that even if large sheets are provided, multiple sheets will be required. The customer may wish to receive their entire checking account statement for the month or perhaps several months from the automated teller machine. Most ATMs that are presently in use are not capable of printing or delivering the type of sheets that are necessary for providing detailed customer statements nor are existing ATMs capable of delivering stacks of multiple statement sheets.
Further adding to the difficulty associated with providing detailed statement information from ATMs is that different institutions often desire to print different types of statements. These statements have different physical dimensions. As a result, any mechanism that is made for stacking and delivering statements to a customer from an ATM would have to be made to suit the particular size of statement that the bank wanted to deliver. This increases complexity and cost.
Another problem with statements presented by ATMs is that a customer who has conducted a banking transaction will often forget to take their receipt, or perhaps does not want the receipt. If so, the receipt will generally remain protruding from the face of the machine and sometimes the next person to use the machine will pull out the old receipt and throw it away. Passersby or other users will also look at the receipt out of curiosity. If the receipt contains confidential information regarding accounts, such as checking accounts, this could present undesirable security risks.
Regardless of whether the document contains confidential information, an untaken receipt becomes a nuisance and a potential source of litter. This is undesirable as it will tend to clutter the area of the automated teller machine making it unattractive and undesirable for customers.
Thus, there exists a need for an apparatus and method that enables a customer to receive a plurality of statements detailing the status of different accounts and transactions from an ATM and which avoids disclosure of the information and minimizes litter in the event the customer fails to take their statements.